Eye Exam Is Done

T went for a contact exam today and was fitted for and got contacts.  He is so happy right now and he was really ready for them this time.  He got them in on his own with no help from me.  He chose to do the daily wear contacts so he can throw them away every night.  Right now he's in the monthly ones until his daily's come in the mail.  He's been all but begging me to do this and now that it is finally done I wish I had done it weeks ago.  Here are some pics of him at his appointment today.  

End of Year Band Concert

Here’s a video of Tristan’s end of year band concert. So proud of this kid. He’s done so well with band. I pray he continues. He’s so good. 

Dental Checkup and Cleaning for T

T is getting his teeth cleaned and checked up at his six month checkup today. Two dental appointments in a week. First was the orthodontist and now the dentist. At least they will look nice and purdy🥰….LOL! 

We were told that T needs to come in every 3 months to have his teeth cleaned until his braces come off today.  Not news that we wanted to hear but he's not been cleaning his teeth as good as he should and they are trying to keep him from getting a gum disease that could cause major problems for T down the road.  Of course his dad and I have already had a stern talk with him too about the way he's brushing his teeth as well and he's fixing to change his bad habits now!!!  He's going to brush and floss more and he's going to take better care of his teeth from here on out.  Thankfully though, even with all this that we are dealing with, T still has had no cavities to address.  That's amazing considering it took them an hour to do a cleaning that should have taken about 30 minutes.  It was a painful lesson for him to learn as they cleaned his teeth today and I hope it's a lesson he takes to heart and makes the necessary changes to make sure he never goes in with his teeth like that ever again to his dental appointment.   They look really good now though as you could tell in the pic above.  

I THINK I SEE GOLD....

 I THINK I SEE GOLD is a Ray Boltz song that to this day I have cherished.  It's a song that meant a lot to me during some of the absolute worst times in my life that God brought me through and out of.  I want to share the lyrics and music video link with you here now:

                       "I Think I See Gold"

I see you struggling every day
You think, how long
Can I go on this way?
On and on
Again and again
Oh, when will it end?

You think, I just can't go on
Much longer
But inside, my friend
Your faith is growing stronger
You feel the fire burning
Deep in your soul
But I want you to know

I think I see gold
I think I see gold in the fire
Right there in the ashes
Is all you've desired
Oh, it's hard
As you press toward the goal
Don't give up
Don't give in
Don't stop now
I think I see gold

Until this moment
You've always believed
When life grew darkest
By faith you could see
Open your eyes
Look for the light
You see, you were right

These lonely hours
Like a fire refining
Something that's precious
Something that's shining
There in the darkness
Surrounded by coals
Is starting to glow

 Here's the video link:  https://youtu.be/1N_Gpq6v8as.  

If I was going to give someone a song to listen to that speaks to the heart of my testimony this would be the one because of all that I've been through in my younger life and all that God brought me through.  God has been so good and gracious to me even with all I've been through and blatantly done even when I knew better.  I have such a great life now despite all my younger years but God kept telling me over and over again "I Think I See Gold".  It took me so long to really understand what that really meant.  Years later I really get it to the depths of the core of my being.  And now when I think of my son and look at him I also think those words that God said to me, "I Think I See Gold".  He's growing up to be such an amazing young man and I'm looking forward to watching him as he grows into his adulthood and becomes the man that God wants him to be.  Such a precious song with such a huge impact and meaning.  Listen to it when you get it a chance and let the heart of it really touch yours.  God Bless!  

USA TAEKWONDO SPECIAL TRAINING ON ZOOM SUNDAY...

 USAT did a special zoom session online Sunday afternoon.  T got to participate and enjoyed every moment of it.  T knew both Coach Tim (T's body coach) and Coach Stephen (2016 Olympian) personally. They've both been instrumental in T's life in regards to TaeKwonDo over the years.  Although the pictures don't show it this was a big core workout for T and he was feeling it afterwards.  One of T's big goals with TaeKwonDo Sparring is to get his stamina where it needs to be and also get his core strength where it needs to be.  He is also working on his speed when doing techniques.  Speed is key when you are a short fighter.  Speed keeps you from getting dominated by the taller opponents.  Here are some pics:

We are just a few days out from traveling to Texas for an event.  T feels good and ready for this event and looking forward to being able to learn his new weight division going forward.  He is on weight for this event too.  He weighs in Saturday and Fights on Sunday.  When you don't have to cut and just eat clean it makes a big difference in how you feel.  Eating clean is all it takes to get him on weight.  That's a great feeling to be able to do that.  After what happened last summer he will never actually cut to be on weight ever again.  If eating clean doesn't get him there then he fights up and that's all there is to that.  The coach he will have going forward starting June 1st is on that same page too.  It is so nice to be on the same page and everyone wanting to help T move forward in all that he is wanting to accomplish.  Keep checking back as I will be posting and updating everyone as everything happens this weekend at the tournament.  We are looking forward to seeing how things go to because it's a big adjustment when you move up weight divisions.  Learning and growing is what it's all about.  #GodsPlan

Everything Is Coming Up Puzzles...

I just ordered two more puzzles for us to do.  Scot is going to love these two puzzles.  Mom loved them when she saw them.  Here's what they will look like.

 

T is Looking Good!!!

T is looking really good right now.  He's been eating totally clean for a couple weeks now and it shows.  We have to send his body coach pics weekly.  I've missed a few times getting this done because we've had so much going on but he's looking real lean and strong right now.  He's not too heavy but not too light either.  A much better place than where he was last year when he was trying to cut too much weight to make a weight division.  He looks so healthy.  Loving that we decided to let him fight up in weight.  Such a good decision.  

    

Another Puzzle Finished!

Mom, Scot, T, and I just finished this beauty of a 1,000 piece puzzle.   

ISAIAH 54:17

This verse has become a verse that we turn to a lot for T in the sport he is doing.  We have been drilling this into him for many many years now but not just the portion you will see in the photo below but the entire verse.  Here it is in the KJV version of the Bible:  "No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn.  This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord."  

We actually put this in our language and point to him and say you instead of thee to him though when we recite it to him.  And when he says it we have him put in me instead of thee to make it more personal to him.  

We really want him to take this scripture to heart because being in the sport he's in is a tough and you have to have tough skin to do this sport.  If you are wimpy and a whinny baby who can't take pain this sport is definitely not for you.  Know yourself and know your limitations is something we have been guiding T to do.  T is very much a realist, something he gets from both his father and myself, and he knows his limitations and the realities surrounding being able to make it to the the highest level of this sport.  He's no fool and isn't trying to make himself to be bigger and badder than he really is.  He's in a happy place right now in TaeKwonDo.  He wants to continue doing competitions and all of TaeKwonDo.  He is going to continue to do his best Win or Learn because at the end of the day if he learns something it is something he can pass on to his students when he has his own dojang someday.  I love his attitude and his focus.  He is becoming such an incredible young man who loves the Lord!  It is our hope and prayer that when he has his own school someday that it will stand out and be different because he will intertwine God into every aspect of it and make it a place that followers of Christ will want to bring their kids to learn TaeKwonDo.  

ONE EXCITED KID!!!

 T is excited because his renewed passport finally came in today.  Woohoo!!!  In the Open competitions they require a photo ID and we've found we get no push back of any kind if T always shows this at competitions.  You can do other forms of ID but we have always chosen this form because of the value of it and no one generally will say anything to you about wanting other forms of ID as long as you have this one.